Focusing on the restructuring of the auto rickshaw sector, EMBARQ (Centre for Sustainable Transport) conducted a comprehensive study to identify the most pertinent issues at hand.

It is widely agreed upon that auto rickshaws are a vital mode of transport in Indian cities, providing low-cost mobility and connecting travellers to mass transit or directly to their destinations. The auto-rickshaw sector also provides livelihoods for some of India’s poorest citizens.

Recognising the key role that the auto rickshaw sector plays in the urban transportation system, but also the need for its restructuring, EMBARQ (also known as the Centre for Sustainable Transport which is part of the World Resources Institute) received a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies and Shell Foundation to reform this sector. Based on EMBARQ's study and its analysis of key areas affecting the sector including governance, regulation, infrastructure, and vehicles. a pilot project will begin in Rajkot, Gujarat in January 2011 with the aim of expansion to other cities over time.

This document looks at the restructuring plan as an appropriate and well-designed solution to improving the mobility of Indians in a safe, low-cost, and environmentally friendly way.